Spiritual Authority and Discernment Part 2
Hi Everyone,
I am sharing the 5 part vision that I promised you last week in my post. By these visions, you will see that the message that the Lord is conveying is highly important for every believer. We must not fall into the trap of thinking that everything that is taught from the pulpit should be embraced. We can be easily led astray if we do not know the word of God for ourselves. Let us be careful to seek God for wisdom and discernment and the ability to recognize what is sound doctrine and what is not.
The Visions
The Draped Cart
In this vision I saw a cart that was draped with a white fabric cover that was about 2’ by 4’ and 3’ high. Even though I could not see what was underneath the cover, I believed that there was a stack of folding chairs on their sides and placed on a cart. There were two men looking at the cart, one on either side. On one side of the white cover were symbols. They were large and black. Only one man had view of the symbols which I believe carried a message. The man who could see the symbols stood contemplating their meaning. The man on the plain side on the cover saw nothing.
The two men in the vision, I recognize to be pastors. One saw nothing, and was unaware of any message. He saw the drape as pure white.
To the pure, all things are pure… Titus 1:15
The other pastor, also a man of God, was able to see the symbols, because he has the gift of vision and prophecy. He intently studied the symbols to gain insight and understanding as to their meaning.
The chairs that are hidden from view I believe represent the congregation. The drape that covers the chairs, (the congregation) keeps them from seeing the message which is printed on the outside of the drape. They are kept in the dark.
The chairs are folded and stacked tightly together and placed on a cart. This can mean unity, but because the chairs are tightly packed and lying on their sides, it seems to convey the idea of captivity, for they are hidden, and confined to the cart. The cart has wheels, but it is controlled by someone on the outside of the cart, not from within.
The room in which the vision takes place is the sanctuary of the church. It is dark with only a single light overhead that gives just enough light to illuminate the scene.
I believe this is a vision of warning, to both pastors. One sees and will take warning and the other who does not see, may be unaware of any danger. This vision was given to me when I was praying regarding the questionable teaching that a speaker at a conference was promoting. I shared this topic with you last week in “Spiritual Authority and Discernment.” The post was too long to include the visions, so I am sharing them with you now.
A Nose
In this vision I saw a hard smooth material that was formed in the shape of a nose. It was quite angular, in its form for there was a sharp crease down the center of the nose that divided it in half. One side was black and the other side was white. These planes on the nose represent opposites: good and bad, holy and unholy. In the Bible, we see that God breathed into Adam’s nostrils to give him life.
Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7
We can consider God’s breath to be holy, pure and represented by the white side of the nose.
The Bible also speaks of negative, dark and evil uses for the nose. In one instance we see the nose involved in idol worship and the worship of Baal.
“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and continually provoke Me to anger? Look, they are even putting the branch to their nose! Ezekiel 8:17
The nose in the next example is used to convey God’s anger against those who are unfaithful and rebellious.
I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig's flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels; who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.”
These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day. Isaiah 65:2-5
The Lord’s anger burned as smoke in His nostrils, because His people chose to worship of false gods. This is idolatry. The Lord detests and likens it to prostitution. He uses the word “whoring” in the following passage. Oholah is the name he gives to Samaria the capital of the Northern Kingdom and Oholibah, the name he gives to Jerusalem the capital of Judah. Note the use of the nose in this passage!
“Oholah played the whore while she was mine, and she lusted after her lovers the Assyrians…She bestowed her whoring upon them, the choicest men of Assyria all of them, and she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone after whom she lusted... Ezekiel 23:5-7
“Her sister Oholibah saw this, and she became more corrupt than her sister in her lust and in her whoring, which was worse than that of her sister... Ezekiel 23:11
When she carried on her whoring so openly and flaunted her nakedness, I turned in disgust from her, as I had turned in disgust from her sister. Ezekiel 23:18
Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will stir up against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side: the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans…Ezekiel 23:22-23
And I will direct my jealousy against you, that they may deal with you in fury. They shall cut off your nose and your ears, and your survivors shall fall by the sword. They shall seize your sons and your daughters, and your survivors shall be devoured by fire. They shall also strip you of your clothes and take away your beautiful jewels. Thus I will put an end to your lewdness and your whoring begun in the land of Egypt, so that you shall not lift up your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore. Ezekiel 23:25-27
Cutting off the nose was meant to be a judgment that was so awful and so hideous that they became a horror, to themselves. Their sin of idolatry, was loathsome to God and so they incurred his wrath. I believe that God had their noses and the ears cut off, so that they would no longer appear as being made in the image of God. They now would appear hideous and in the likeness of the demons they chose to worship.
The nose was also used as a means of controlling captives.
“I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came. Isaiah 37:29
The Lord God has sworn by his holiness that, behold, the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks. Amos 4:2
Then GOD directed the leaders of the troops of the king of Assyria to come after Manasseh. They put a hook in his nose, shackles on his feet, and took him off to Babylon. 2 Chronicles 33:11
The nose was divided down the center showing evil, death, and judgment by the color black, and white on the other side which represents purity and righteousness as God’s holy standard.
But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
Considering the teaching that was highly questionable, which I shared with you last week, the nose in the vision represents a choice. Should we be led with a hook in our noses to follow wherever a speaker or leader might take us? Should we not instead follow God, sound doctrine, and remain under the shelter of his wing? Shouldn’t we consider what the effects might be as a result of the teachings that we present to others? How does this affect one’s faith? We will be held accountable for everything that we say and do.
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. Matthew 12:36-37
A Worshiper
In this vision, I saw a worshiper kneeling with his legs underneath his body and his head to the floor. Because the man was wearing black, I believe that he was prostrating himself before some god, idol or demon, for black represents evil, and death.
The first of the Ten Commandments shows clearly that we are not to bow down to any idol or any false god.
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:2-6
In the former post, if you remember, the speaker at the conference wanted everyone in the room to affirm that we were “gods,” and therefore we had spiritual authority. The speaker referred to Psalm 82 which Jesus quoted in his defense of against blasphemy, when He claimed to be the Son of God in the gospel of John, Chapter 10
I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’ But like mortals you will die, and like rulers you will fall.” Psalm 82:6-7
Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God? John 10:34-36
We cannot call ourselves “gods” or use that particular scripture to say that by it we have authority over the powers of darkness. We have power over darkness because we are children of God and have been given that authority simply because God wills it. If we are obedient to his will, he will not allow our words to fall to the ground. He will uphold what we declare as he has promised:
“Have faith in God,” Jesus said to them. “Truly I tell you that if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and has no doubt in his heart but believes that it will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:12-14
The Lord confers upon us a kingdom:
And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father has bestowed one on Me, Luke 22:29
He gives us all authority”
“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:18-20
He gives us the keys to the kingdom”
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19
And he tells us that with Him all things are possible.
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
All this is authority. We do not have to declare over ourselves that we are “gods.” It is not necessary and it is offensive to some believers. Others can become confused by this teaching, which presents problems with our view of leadership and can cause division in the Church.
The Grey Cat
In the fourth vision, I saw a grey cat with yellow eyes and tiny black stripes over its face.
The only cats mentioned in the Bible are the lion and the leopard. They are known for their predatory traits: to hunt, to stalk, to roar and to devour. Jesus was called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah because he is King; He is powerful; He has conquered death and He is worthy!
And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5
Peter warns us of the devil, our adversary, calling him a “roaring lion,” because of a lion’s determination to attack and overpower his prey.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
The Bible does not make any reference to domestic cats perhaps because the Egyptians and other nations worshipped the cat. The Egyptians and those of Mesopotamia worshiped cat-like women goddesses. The Egyptian goddess Bastet had a cat like body and the head of a woman. She was a goddess of fertility, motherhood, and protection. The Assyrians and Babylonians worshiped the goddess Ishtar who represented fertility, love and war. She had the body of a woman and the head of a cat. Because cats lurk about in a stealth manner, they tend to represent evil entities, paganism, idolatry and demons.
The cat in the vision is grey which is a mixture of white and black. This is a theme among these five visions. Mixture is the introduction of pagan ideals, worldly ideologies and worldly culture into the church. This is like the mixture of the head of a woman and the body of a cat. It is a perversion of God’s creation. Mixture is to be detected and removed. We cannot dishonor God by our propensity to mix the world’s activities, festivals, and customs with the church and church life.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15
Each of these five visions were given to address idolatry in the church and the affirmations as “We are gods.” Therefore, we should not do anything that compromises our focus on the Lord and opens up the door to demonic influence. We are not to declare that “We are gods.” However we can say with confidence that we are children of the Most High, and that we are loved by our creator, who gives us His authority at his good pleasure!
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
The Cube
In the last vision, I saw a white cube with the number “13” written in red on one of its faces. There are only two perfect cubes described in the Bible. The first perfect cube was the “Holy of Holies,” in the temple.
The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar. 1 Kings 6:20
The second perfect cube in the Bible is found in the book of Revelation, speaking of the New Jerusalem, the dwelling place of God and man together.
The city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its dimensions were equal—12,000 stadia in length and width and height. Revelation 21:16
The cube represents God’s perfect dwelling. He dwelled in the temple, in the Old Covenant. And now in the New Covenant he dwells within each believer, for our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
In the Book of Revelation, John saw the New Jerusalem as a city “prepared as a bride for her husband.”
I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. Revelation 21:2-3
When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain that separated man from God in the Most Holy Place was torn in two, allowing believers to enter freely into the presence of God. When we believe, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within the believer. So on this earth, God dwells in us. God also dwells in heaven.
The New Jerusalem in Revelation is depicted as a city. It is a place where God dwells with his people. It is described as a bride prepared for her husband. We as the Church, the Bride of Christ, are also God’s dwelling place here on earth, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The New Jerusalem is simply a symbol of the Church. It will be our joy to spend all eternity with God heaven! Hallelujah!
Now returning to the vision of the cube, we see that it is white and it represents God’s perfect dwelling. We represent that white cube. But written on the white cube is the number 13 in red! This is not something good, for the number 13 represents rebellion and lawlessness, and the color red represents sin, blood and bloodshed. This is not what God desires for his church. There should not be sin the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yet we live in a fallen world, and so sin will come to the church.
Below are a few facts that I chose to share from: Bible Study.org on the meaning of the number 13:
The number 13 is symbolic of rebellion and lawlessness in the Bible. 13 represents all the governments created by men, and inspired by Satan, in outright rebellion against God.
Haman the Agagite had convinced King Xerxes to sign and issue a decree on Nisan 13, to authorize the slaughter of Jews in the Persian empire to take place on Adar 13.
The destruction of Jericho occurred upon giving a shout after marching around the city a total of 13 times, once every day for six days, and then seven times around on the seventh day.
There are at least 13 famines mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 12:10, 26:1, 41:54, Ruth 1:1, 2 Samuel 21:1, 1 Kings 18:1, 2 Kings 4:38, 7:4, 25:3, Nehemiah 5:3, Jeremiah 14:1, Luke 15:14 and Acts 11:28.)
Jesus describes 13 things that defile a person:
“What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Mark 7:20-23
The word "Hinnom" occurs 13 times in 11 King James verses. The valley of Hinnom was the scene of the evil-inspired rites of the pagan god Molech .
And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart (Jeremiah 7:31, KJV).
And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin (Jeremiah 32:35, KJV).
The word drakon, Strong's Concordance #G1404, occurs 13 times in 12 verses. It is always translated as the word "dragon," a symbolic reference to God's adversary Satan the devil.
And the great dragon (drakon) was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceive the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:9, KJV).
So in the vision we have the color red meaning sin and the number 13 meaning rebellion and lawlessness. This number is placed on a perfectly white cube which represents God’s dwelling place on earth: the Most Holy place in the Old Covenant, and the New Jerusalem, which is the Bride of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, where God dwells in the New Covenant..
All five of these visions were given as a result of my prayer asking God what should I think and do about this teaching? The visions speak of rebellion against God and his word. It is idolatry when we raise ourselves up to be “like God.” The speaker encouraged people to declare out loud: “We are gods.” He used this affirmation to build up the people’s confidence, saying that we were going to face bigger giants (demons) and we have to be prepared.”
These visions point to the sin of Satan which was wanting to be like God.
How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations.
You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
But you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit. Isaiah 14:12-15
Satan caused Adam and Eve to fall, for he convinced Eve that if she ate of the forbidden fruit, that she would be like God, knowing good and evil.
We cannot go down this road. It is a slippery slope, and it leads to the same fate as Satan:
“But you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.” Isaiah 14:15
We need to have a holy fear of God. He loves us. He is patient, not wanting anyone to perish. He gives us grace upon grace. He came to die on the cross to pay for our sins, and to reconcile us to the Father. Without him we would be hopeless. However he wants us to acknowledge our sin, and repent. We must understand that he is a holy God, and without Jesus’ blood shed on the cross, we would all go to hell. He loves us so much he has provided a way for us to be redeemed, and to have eternal life with him. So please understand that there will be a day of judgment for each individual. Let’s get right with him now.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10
For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Let’s Pray
Dear Jesus,
I want to be right with you and the Father. I know that I have sinned, and have fallen short of the glory of God. I pray that you will forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I thank you for dying on the cross as payment for my sins. I ask that you heal me and deliver me from all wrong thinking and habits that have kept me from surrendering myself to you.
I give you every part of me. I ask that you write my name in the Book of Life and that someday when I die, I will be with you for all eternity. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit and lead me in your ways. Help me to know you intimately, through your Word and the time I spend with you. Help me to be your hands and feet on this earth. Help me to make a difference in the lives of others. I thank you that I am now born of the Spirit and I will live in heaven with you forever! Amen!
Please remember this day. The enemy is the accuser of the brethren, so remind yourself, that you belong to God and that He loves you very much! His promises are Yes and Amen, so read the Bible and pray. As you learn to trust him, you will see his signature in your life.
God bless you and share this post and the previous one with others! Thanks!
